With Losses, Comes Gains
by Sakura no Hana
Summary: Chihiro finally got her parents back, and heading straight towards the normal life she had...or is she? Just when she thought it was time to settle, a mysterious new student captures her attention.


**Author's Notes:** This fic mainly takes place after the original story's ending. So it MAY refer to the original plot. It pretty much explains what happens when a mysterious new student appears at Chihiro's new school. But as each day passes on, her memory of the spirit world also fades away. Enjoy! 

**Disclaimer:** These characters are not original unless you've watched the movie and don't seem to reconize that character, in that case, it's prolly mine. (This dislaimer goes for the whole fic!) 

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"Come on Chihiro. Let's get to our new home!" 

"You're not scared are you?" 

"Don't be afraid honey, everything's going to be okay." 

"A new home and a new school, it is a bit scary." 

Chihiro's eyes trailed towards the back wind-shield; staring intently upon the long, dark hallway that had led her into a miraculous world she never even dared to dream of. The adventure she had somehow plunged herself into had ended. At the realization of it all, Chihiro let out a sigh. Though, she didn't understand why had she done so. She had gotten her parents back, and helped Haku...Haku...That same word kept running through her mind. _What is this feeling I keep having? It sort of resembles pain, clinging to my chest as each second passes on._ Then, Chihiro realized that her father had asked her a queston. 

"I think I can handle it." She answered back while trying to blink away the sudden formation of liquid in her eyes, and slowly turned herself around. Her attention then wrapped itself around the conversation that now reached her ears. She watched silently at each and every movement her mother made. She never really realized how beautiful her mother was. And her father, he seemed so strong. _I guess absense **does** make the heart grow fond._

"I love you mommy and daddy." She wispered loud enough to catch her mother's attention. 

"What honey?" 

"I love you!" Chihiro almost yelled back. 

"Oh, okay honey, I love you too! Now, start gathering your things. We're almost there!" Her mother replied with a slight chuckle. Chihiro once again settled back into the warm cushions of the car seat. 

"AAAAHHH!!!" A loud yelp suddenly bursted from the back seat of the old, moss covered car. 

"What honey?! Don't scream like that!" Her father sternly said back. 

"My flowers! They're dead! And...and yellowish-brown! Mommy, mommy, my flowers!" She kept repeating as large tear drops fell from her small frame. 

"Well, Chihiro, flowers wilt without water and this car was pretty hot." 

"But...but..." The words squeezed through her lips as more tears drowned her words. 

"Don't worry dear, we'll buy you new flowers once we get to our new home, okay?" 

Still pouting at the loss of her one and only gift, she turned her head, and glanced out the window. Something suddenly caught her eyes. Leaning forward, and almost plastering her face against the warm, clear glass, she stared at the object of her attention as it slid further and further behind the moving car. _Wow! How pretty! Those little stone houses are glittering! Water is trickling out of them. For a moment, they almost seemed alive!_

"We have finally arrived!" Chihiro's father announced as the vehicle slowed down and stopped in front of a house that they all remembered distinctly to be theirs. "I still can't believe I took that wrong turn, but amazing as it may seem, we got here in no time." 

"The important thing is that we got here right? Oh my! Just look at the color of this house! It's such a pretty blue! I've always dreamed of living in a home that overlooks the countryside from above." Chihiro's mother replied. 

"Mommy, why is all of our furniture piled like that?" Chihiro said quietly, as if afraid her comment might have been said at the wrong moment. 

"Oh my God! Those stupid movers! The **least** they could have done was wait till we got here!" Yelled her father as he ran towards the mess. 

"Oh honey, just be glad our mailbox isn't going to be like that either." Her mother answered with a humorous tone while stepping to help her father. 

"Mommy...is that OUR mailbox over there?" Asked Chihiro. She lifted an index finger towards a mailbox with the same sky blue of the their new house. She watched her mother's eyes follow the direction at which she was pointing at and continued, "The mail is kind of pouring out of it. I'd collect them before the wind blows them all away." 

"Oh my goodness! I can't believe the manners these neighbors have! This 'new folks' joke is just way out of line!" The angry mother stomped across the overgrown lawn and started gathering all of the mail and notices, and tucked them under her arms. 

By the looks upon her parents' faces, Chihiro decided that it was probably a good idea to stay quiet. She dragged her feet through the crisp, yellow grass, and sat at the brim of the hill. Her tongue protruded from her scrunched up face while she stared out at the town below her. _I miss my friends...why did I have to leave? And right after leave and make a new friend, I have to leave him too! I'm cursed! Now, I have to start all over and try to seem appealing to even more people. Ugh, I hate how other people are so judgmental._ Her eyes rolled with that thought. _I might as well gather my things and go inside._

***

_I'm finally done! Man, that took awhile! I didn't think I even had that many belongings, let alone, put them ALL away._ The red glow of the digital numbers on Chihiro's clock read 11:49PM. After weeks, or maybe even months, of hardships and struggles, she was finally safely lying on her much appreciated soft bed. 

"Haku, I hope you're well. Before I made the decision to come back home, I never thought I'd miss your presence this much." Muffled whispers drifted from the figure lying next to the digital clock that now read 12:34AM. "I wish I can have another chance to see you. I hope you got out of there without too much of a struggle. Please Haku...please...I...lo..." The voice ceased as the silence of the night blanketed the young girl to her slumber. 

***

"Chihiro...honey. It's time to wake up." A distant sounding voice reached Chihiro as her senses became more and more aware of the bright sunlight that illuminated her room. "It's almost time to go to your new school! I'm sure you'll have tons of fun making new friends." A smiling face starred down at her while a warm, feminine hand stroked the smooth, brown hair away from her eyes. "Ok, you'd better get up or you're going to be late for your first day. I'll pick something out for you to wear" 

Knowing better than to disobey her mother first thing in the morning, Chihiro slowly pulled herself up from the position she had found most comfortable. "Hey honey, this one looks nice! I just love seeing you wear that! It'll leave a really good impression on the boys!" A comment topped with a touch of humor came from behind the closet doors. Soon afterwards, an outfit that was supposedly 'adorable' appeared before her. Still feeling a bit sleepy, she put it on without a single complaint. 

The rest of the morning just sort of droned on before Chihiro's eyes. It wasn't until she was already walking her way towards her newly assigned classroom, before realized everyone who passing by was starring at her. _Great...I'm already the 'strange, new kid'._ She thought to herself while letting out a sigh. 

_Room 12, 13, 14, **15**! Welp, here I go!_ But before she had the chance to use her strength on the door, it had already flung open, showing a bright and cheerful visage of a middle aged women. 

"You must be Chihiro! The new addition to our humble class. Come in! Come in!" While walking into the colorfully decorated room of desks, chairs, and students, Chihiro felt a sudden shyness overcome her. "Class, this is Ogino Chihiro. Let's all welcome her as part of our class from now on." The teacher turned and whispered to the blushing student standing next to her. 

Chihiro followed the teacher's instructions to sit near the back between a girl with a pair of warm, green eyes, and an empty seat. _She must not be from around here. She's really pretty, and seems pretty nice._ She thought to herself as she settled near the foreigner. 

"Ok class! Let's get started on today's lesson. Everyone take out your literature books and turn to pa..." There was a soft knock on the door or the classroom. "Hold on class." The cheerful women opened the wooden exit, and stepped outside. 

"Hi! My name is Suki. I'd like to be your friend!" The girl next Chihiro seized the opportunity to get to know the new student. "I'm not from around here, as you probably already guessed. Did you move a long way too?" 

Surprised but grateful for the sudden welcome, Chihiro replied, "Yeah, I moved from a city quite a few hours away from here." 

"Oh! Well, nice to mee...shh." Suki stopped and turned towards the front of the room again. The teacher had returned, only this time, another person accompanied her. 

"My! Here we have yet ANOTHER new student! We sure are busy today! It's not that often that our school gets new students. Well, everyone welcome him anyway! His name is Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi. You may all call him Hayami." 

Chihiro's eyes suddenly grew large as she gazed upon the boy. It wasn't until he had already sat down before she even dared to blink. 

_He...he...looks so familiar! Where have I seen those deep, forest-green eyes before? And, that name! Ugh...I just can't seem to remember! And yet, I feel that the answer is right in front of me. That, that hair, that face! I'm positive I have seen him before. I feel, we were more than just acquaintances. But...but..._

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What happened? Who is this new, yet somewhat old character? What is this connection Chihiro keeps feeling towards this boy? You'll have to find out in the next chappy! 

Whew! That took a lot longer than I had expected. It took me even longer to find out Chihiro's full name. Ugh. Welp, I hope you like it and please R&R! 


End file.
